Sheriff’s aircraft crashes

Published 11:31 am Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Escambia County Chief Deputy Mike Lambert and a member of the 21st Circuit Judicial Drug Task Force unit were injured Wednesday morning when the Sheriff’s Department’s powered parachute clipped a tree and crashed on private property near Flomaton.

Sheriff Grover Smith said the two received minor injuries and were transported to D.W. McMillan Memorial hospital.

“Mike’s a very competent pilot,” Smith said. “I think what we’re going to find is he just didn’t take the wind into account.”

Smith said the hot, humid weather often prevents any aircraft from gaining elevation quickly.

“This is a prime time for marijuana fields,” Smith said. “I think they may have found a couple and were going back to look for them.”